


We, the X-Clan

by MonBeeBeeHoney



Category: Beautiful - Monsta X (Music Video), Fighter - Monsta X (Music Video), Monsta X (Band), 걸어 | All in - Monsta X (Music Video)
Genre: Drabbles, Gen, I'm not saying Jooheon is a supernatural being but... I might be implying it, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-26
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2018-10-24 04:55:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10734537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonBeeBeeHoney/pseuds/MonBeeBeeHoney
Summary: Drabbles telling the story of the X-Clan series through the different eyes of the Monsta X crew.Based on the characters in the All In, Fighter, and Beautiful music videos as well as this post:https://seoulfulnights.tumblr.com/post/158673621703/monsta-xs-beautiful-mv-analysis





	1. Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyuk's perspective pre-All In

Jooheon, a friend they’ve known for years and yet can’t remember meeting, standing before them. Many of him, one before each of them? One in front of the group of them? 

Minhyuk couldn’t tell. There was something off about this, about all of them standing in an empty grass field near the site of where the asteroid collided with the earth just outside of town. The dim purples and pinks of twilight casting long shadows quickly fading into darkness.

Jooheon was in front of him now, that soft yet intense look on his face; he held a small box in his hand, outstretched to Minhyuk. 

“You’re going to need this,” Jooheon said simply. Minhyuk took the box, opening the lid to see, a watch? A pocket watch with a beautiful gold face, “Everyone needs a little more time; to change what was and to nurture what you hope will be.” 

Minhyuk held the watch close to his chest, it was warm and hummed with movement slightly in his hand. When he looked up again he was alone, the twilight had faded into complete darkness with a warm glow like light filtering through his eyelids.

He sat up, looking around at the barren room he called home. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, tossing off his blankets only to hear a small clattering sound as something fell from the sheets onto the floor. He scrambled to find it, his hands searching around him until they grabbed the watch. The watch from his dream. He still had time. 

He laughed a little to himself jumping up and started to get ready to meet the others. One week left until the raid; one week until the seven of them attacked, guns blazing, to free their town from the men in black tactical gear. One week until all or nothing; death or freedom. 

 

They had said the men in black tactical gear had taken over all over the country, a nationwide invasion of an unnamed foreign presence. They had dropped bombs in empty areas as warnings. This is where they would start with their small regime and work their way up. Enough was enough. 

But… there was so much to lose. One thing in particular meant more than freedom to Minhyuk and that was Hyungwon. The seven had grown up together, sure, but Minhyuk and Hyungwon’s relationship was different. 

There was something about the way Hyungwon smiled at him that made him feel an ache in his chest, the way a fleeting touch left his skin tingling, the way a glance could make him sit up straight and send heat into his cheeks. When they were alone together Minhyuk couldn’t resist sitting close to him, to touch him, he wanted to ask him if he felt this way too. 

Time, time, there was never enough time. But maybe now the time was right. Minhyuk put the watch into his pocket and ran out the door to meet the others. After the meeting he would tell him, he would confess. One last week. It was all or nothing. Death or freedom. Death or love. It would be worth it.


	2. Strength

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kihyun's perspective pre-All In

 

Useless. Completely and utterly useless. Kihyun sat silently staring at the wall, eyes unfocused his brain running with thoughts of the weeks to come and how he, would be left behind. Strength, the other’s of The Seven had said, was more than just in body but in mind as well; but that was always easy for them to say, they had full use of their legs. After Kihyun’s accident he had to use crutches or a wheel chair on particularly bad days where the pain was too much and he couldn’t keep up with his friends. 

He shook his head, cleared his throat, and started to sort through the papers littered all over the table in front of him while he waited for his friends. No, he was going to be useful in any way that he could. He looked at the various maps and drawings of battle plans, schedules, weak points, all he could collect to create a master plan for the raid only a week away. It had to be fool proof, it had to be perfect, it wasn’t just his friend’s lives on the line, it was the thought knowing if they died it would be all his fault. 

He didn’t know if he could do it, to take the pressure and think rationally. He rubbed his eyes and checked his phone, only an hour until the others would arrive to go over plans and search meticulously for holes, he had been obsessing all night again. He was missing something, he was always missing something. He just wasn’t strong enough. Not mentally, not physically, he was going to let them down. 

“No,” he whispered to himself, “Enough of that, concentrate.” The guilt and anxiety rolled itself tighter in his stomach. 

“You haven’t been sleeping again,” A familiar voice called out. Kihyun looked up from his papers to see Jooheon sauntering towards him, a concerned look on his face. Kihyun gave a weak smile and a shrug in response. 

“I just can’t stop thinking I’m missing-” 

“I got you something.” Jooheon cut him off taking a long brown paper wrapped parcel from behind his back. Kihyun hadn’t noticed it when he walked in. Had he walked in with his hands behind him or in his pockets? Whatever. Kihyun took it from him with both hands placing it on the table before him.

“If it’s another rifle you should have taken it to the storage with the others.” Kihyun started to carefully peel away the paper when Jooheon didn’t respond, only watched as paper gave way to shining silver. A short sword. “Jooheon these are armed and dangerous men and I’m staying here remember? This isn’t going to be much-”

 

“Keep it close.” Jooheon interrupted again. Kihyun pursed his lips, he hated when he did that. “It’ll give you the strength you’ve been craving, in more ways than one.” Kihyun looked down again at the sword, the surface reflecting his tired expression back at him. He looked up to say something but Jooheon was already gone; he must have needed to do something before the meeting. He did feel a little better having something so sharp and dangerous in his hands to wield. He picked it up and observed it closely, there was something off about it but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

He set it back on the table, his mind suddenly clearer and focused. It was time to get to work. One more week until the raid. One more week until it all came down to him.


	3. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shownu's perspective pre-All In

It had always been the two of them. His grandfather had raised him when his mother had died during childbirth and his father had abandoned him. Father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, the one man had filled all roles and now lay before him, quietly sleeping in a hospital bed. 

Even before the sickness had started Shownu was supporting them, his grandfather too old to work under The Men in Black Tactical Gear’s reign. His work kept them afloat but now with the hospital bills they were drowning. Shownu had taken extra shifts and was working day and night, spending what little time he had at the hospital, usually falling asleep from exhaustion, or with The Seven. He was the strongest among them and was trying to train them with what little time he could spare. 

The Seven, were always there of course; they were like his other family but friendship, he thought, couldn’t replace blood. Even so, they were doing what they could to help out, offering money and time to spend at the hospital to keep his grandfather company. Shownu had only accepted the latter, not wanting to burden his friends with his personal problems when they were working on something so much bigger than them.

He felt guilty and selfish. Not enough time for the resistance, not enough time to support his grandfather, he just wasn’t enough to keep the ones he loved alive, he thought. He was going to have to do something drastic, something stupid in the face of all that was to come. The bills were piling high and he couldn’t keep up, he was getting desperate. The doctors had already threatened to stop treatment if he couldn’t pay. 

Shownu’s eyes burned at the thought. This selfless man had given his entire life to take care of him, to feed him, teach him, nurture him into man he was today. He couldn’t let him down, he couldn’t be weak, he couldn’t bear to let him slip away. Not when there was something he could still do. There was always something, he just had to figure it out, and he had. 

Shownu touched his grandfather’s hand gently before standing up and patting his pockets, making sure the ski mask was still with him. Sometimes you have to do something you don’t want to for the ones you love. He had to be at the meeting place in ten minutes and it was never good to keep Jooheon waiting. He took one last look at his grandfather before closing the door behind him. He was a good man, but in the end he didn’t really have a choice. 

When he reached their meeting place Jooheon was waiting for him, leaning against the brick wall with a small bag in his hand. 

“Took you long enough,” Jooheon smiled widely. 

“Sorry I was just-”

“At the hospital I know, I was just kidding, I just got here.” Jooheon handed him the bag. It was heavy for its size. Shownu opened it slowly pulling the handgun from inside slowly. 

“It isn’t loaded is-”

“There’s something else in there too.” Jooheon’s smile had faded. Shownu put the gun back carefully and felt around for the other object. He grabbed a glass bottle full of blue liquid. He looked at it, confused. 

“What is this?”

“You’ll see when the time comes. Don’t open it, just keep it near. Drink it if you get into trouble.” Jooheon smiled reassuringly but there was something hidden in his expression. Concern? Malice? Shownu couldn’t tell but taking the gun already meant he was putting his life in his hands. Shownu nodded and put it carefully back into the bag. He put the strap over his shoulder and went to thank Jooheon but the other man was already gone. Off to meet the others probably, their meeting was only an hour or so away. 

Shownu took the ski mask from his pocket, it was time.


	4. Rememberance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonho's perspective pre-All In

He’s had this energy for as long as he could remember. The heart of a beast in an ordinary human body. On the best days it kept him humming, working on whatever project at hand at a steady and skilled pace. On the worst days it spread like fire from his chest to his fingertips, prickling like knives, a bomb going off and his skin was only just able to hold it in. In the days before The Men in the Black Tactical Gear he would steal to relieve it. Never anything valuable, just things that would be missed until he put them back and things that would be noticed. But when men started patrolling the streets armed with heavy assault rifles he had to stop. So he set to work finding another outlet for that painful energy.

Wonho had always had a knack for technology and mechanics, fixing anything and everything he could get his hands on to sell to support himself and his family. His room filled with blueprints for everything from simple toys to complex machines, impossible to build with what little resources he had. Wonho had been offered a lot of money for his position fixing computers and lab equipment in the highly secretive government building. The price of dog muzzle, he had described it to The Seven one day when they asked him what he did. He wasn’t allowed to look at more than the bare bones of whatever he was fixing and he was kept in one small department of the building. That was before their plans.

Now Wonho had worked his way deep into the regime’s ranks, creating problems only he could fix, secretly collecting what information he could for the resistance. It was dangerous, treason resulted in death after all, but it relieved the burning in his fingertips. He had always felt he was meant to be more than just a small town mechanic and this overtaking had finally given him a window to break into the history books. It fueled him every morning, like coal into fire, he set out each morning with a mind racing with new thoughts an ideas on how to steal more, break more, do more for the resistance. He would be called a hero, he would be known for his efforts, he would do the most he could.

“It looks like you fried the motherboard, I’ll have to replace it.” Wonho frowned up at a man as he sat under a desk. The man sighed and shrugged his shoulders, it couldn’t be helped. “It might take a bit to rewire everything, you might as well take a break and grab some coffee or something.” 

Wonho carefully removed the circuit board from the computer tower and placed it on top of his work cart, already littered with parts and tools. He got up and stretched, searching through his cart for another motherboard as the office employee in a black jumpsuit disappeared down the hall. It was go time. 

He opened a secret compartment just inside the main cabinet and pulled out a motherboard, a completely ordinary one except for one small addition. An almost microscopic chip, white with a black letter X on it, attached to one of the main circuits. He carefully put it into the computer tower and resumed “fixing” the computer with an unplugged monitor, noting to make sure to plug it back in before he left. Idiots. 

The office employee returned a while later, happily patting Wonho’s shoulder as his computer started up without a flaw. 

“Finally, I can get some work done.” The employee said, beaming. “Thanks for the fix kid.” Wonho forced a smile back as he wheeled his car out the door.

“And thank you for the security schedule,” Wonho muttered under his breath.

He checked the time, his shift was over and it was time to go. He returned his cart and uniform back to his office and looked at his watch once again. One more hour until the meeting with The Seven, just enough time to go home and get something to eat except Jooheon was waiting for him outside the building. 

“You know the meeting isn’t for another hour right? You shouldn’t really hang out around here unless you have to.” Wonho smiled as he quietly talked to his friend. There were cameras all over the building, inside and out. 

“I brought you something.” Jooheon walked along side him as they headed towards Wonho’s favorite corner store. Jooheon handed him a oblong black box. Wonho took it, confused. They stood outside the shop and he opened it, inside was a black pen with a gold tip, a small bottle of ink, and some parchment. 

“What’s this for?” Wonho asked, replacing the lid, “We usually use a laptop or phone to take notes around here if you haven’t noticed.”

“Just take it,” Jooheon huffed out a small laugh, “You’ll need it to write yourself your memoirs, hotshot.” Wonho laughed and shook his head, carefully placing the box into his book bag. When he looked back up Jooheon was gone, probably off early to help Kihyun with the meeting preparations. Wonho walked into the shop, ready for lunch.


	5. Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyungwon's perspective pre-All In

Hyungwon hissed as he touched a wet cloth to his swelling cheek. It stung, arguments with his father always stung in more ways than one. He could see it already starting to tint blue and purple, the pricks of blood under his skin evident against his complexion. The others were going to lose it. He wasn’t looking forward to their reactions, they were always there for him trying to protect him but it only made things worse. 

He loved The Seven as brothers, they were a family trying their best to make things work and to help others on the way. He knew how they were going to react, it was always the same. There would be worry of course, and then anger and when Hyungwon would ask them to calm down they would resentfully sit down and focus back on the plan, casting worried glances at the bruises on his face. He wished they would just ignore it and focus on the plans for their raid, it was only a week away and they had no time for worrying about him. It would be better that way, he thought, what was his suffering compared to others? He was making excuses and he knew it but in one week he would take his revenge, be free, and tear everything his father had worked for to shreds. Or die along side his friends trying.

His father had found out he’d been skipping work to be with The Seven again. Being high up in the new regime, his father wasn’t going to allow his son to jeopardize his new powerful position and wealth. It was wrong, Hyungwon knew, to trade silence and the harm of others for such things but his father seemed to disagree and wasn’t afraid to show it with a fist or door locked from the outside. 

He and his father disagreed about a lot of things. What his father’s work did, who’s fault it was when his mother died, what classes he should be taking, how long he should be working, what friends he kept around, Minhyuk... Especially Minhyuk. Hyungwon didn’t really know how he felt about Minhyuk, he loved him as family just like the rest of The Seven of course, but sometimes his heart beat a little faster when he was around. He never let himself think about it, knowing that was a train of thought best forgotten lest it end in another black eye or broken bone. He was always letting these thoughts pass by, avoiding himself to keep the peace between his father and himself. He longed for a life of his own where he was free to be who he wanted to be without worrying about scars and the low whispers of people passing by when they saw his marred face. He was tired. 

It was going to be difficult to get to the meeting today; only one hour to break or somehow pick the three padlocks on his bedroom door or call for help. Being in the more important neighborhood meant it was always being patrolled so calling for someone was out. Hyungwon went to his closet and started digging for the two bent hangers he used last time. It was a difficult trick and one he only managed to pull of once but it was worth a shot, picking locks blind took a lot of patience that he didn’t really have. Once he had found them he went to the door, laying on his stomach he started to feed the wires through the small space underneath when he heard something.

 

“Whoa, watch it,” Jooheon’s voice rang out through the silent house. The door slowly opened and Hyungwon saw Jooheon look around and then down at him, cringing slightly. Hyungwon got up to a sitting position looking away and shaking his head, he didn’t want to talk about it. Jooheon sighed, sticking his hands in his pockets. Sometimes speech isn’t needed for conversation. 

“How’d you get in here? How’d you open the padlocks?” Hyungwon asked softly, standing to get his things together. 

“Oh, you know me, I always find a way.” Jooheon picked up a pen from Hyungwon’s desk and examined it. Hyungwon started to ask something but forgot what it was as soon as his lips parted. 

“I came to bring you something” Jooheon laid a small black cloth bag on the desk and frowned. “For next time.” Hyungwon opened it, pulling out a small silver mirror. It was beautiful and ornate and perfect for sliding under the door to see the padlocks on the other side. 

“Thank you,” Hyungwon smiled weakly putting it back into the bag and placing it into the hiding place with the wires in the back of his closet before starting to place things into a backpack muttering off a checklist. “Keys, charger, phone is in his room I’ll have to get that, notebooks-” 

“You really should think about things more carefully.” Jooheon suddenly said gravely, there was something strange about his voice, “Your personal freedom is heavily intertwined with someone else’s.” Hyungwon raised an eyebrow. 

“Are you ok? That was strangely... poetic and cryptic of you.” Hyungwon finished zipping up his bag and turned to walk with him out the door but Jooheon was already gone. Hyungwon touched his forehead, suddenly dizzy for a split second. When did he leave? Wasn’t he just talking? Jooheon was really strange sometimes but that was to be expected from someone that hung out with The Seven. He walked into his father’s room, retrieved his phone, and headed towards the back door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, hey its been a while. Things have been a bit chaotic for me between moving house, seeing Dean + Club Eskimo two states over, and Monsta X announcing a US tour. Hopefully updates will be a little more frequent now!


	6. Purpose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changkyun's perspective pre-All In

Changkyun shed his blazer and tossed it into the corner of his room, the expensive fabric crumpling into a wrinkled heap on the floor next to a large wardrobe. Suits were so uncomfortable. He began to change into his “common” clothes as his father called them, a t-shirt, hoodie, and jeans with tennis shoes. They were, of course, all brand new, everything he owned was. Ever since he could remember he had always gotten what he wanted: clothes, phones, computers, anything with a price tag and then some. Life was so boring when you got everything you wanted in an instant. Even friends became tedious when all they were after was your money, that’s how it had always been. That is, until he met The Seven. 

 

When he met what would become The Seven they hated him on sight. Everything about his expensive clothing, the way he talked to people, it all reeked of money and The Seven had found it unbearable. Changkyun had traveled to many different countries, studied at the most well known schools, met celebrities and politicians and world leaders, experienced most of what life had to offer as long as your pockets were lined with cash. But The Seven, they didn’t like him because of this, it was something he wasn’t used to; most people lined up to be his friend, hoping for expensive gifts and tales of his many travels. That’s how he knew he had to befriend them, they were so different from everyone else and he saw his chance for something that he never had before: true friends.

It hadn’t been until Jooheon came along that the rest of what would become The Seven had come to warm up to Changkyun. Jooheon always seemed to put everyone at ease, somehow drawing out and showing off everyone’s best attributes. The others had finally given up their notions about Changkyun and got to know him as the quiet, kind, smart, funny, and humble guy he actually was. When the tensions eased and their smiles finally came easily it was like the last piece of a complex puzzle had finally been snapped into place. They all felt it, as if they were a family separated long ago had finally been reunited. It was almost unnerving how it felt as if they had always known each other, and how the days seemed to blur into a confusing mess whenever he tried to recall the first time they had all really started to get to know each other. 

 

Changkyun shook his head, trying to rid himself of that feeling that something about the memories were... off. He checked his watch, only an hour until the meeting, he was lucky his mother’s lunch with government officials was cut short by some sort of emergency that had The Men in Black Tactical Gear rushing from the room barking orders on their cell phones. They had been in discussions about lifting bans allowing a more even distribution of ration tickets to the general public, there was a huge imbalance between the powerful and the ordinary citizens in that regard and Changkyun’s mother had wanted him to see what real political negotiations looked like. Changkyun knew what they looked like, stiff postures and lots of arguing through clenched teeth until a paper was signed and hands were reluctantly shook. He also knew that it worked, most of the time. 

Growing up it was the only way he had known; freedom fighters and revolutionaries were terrorists and barbarians in disguise, political process was the only way, he was told. But now that he was older, he knew better. Sometimes it was the leaders that were the barbarians in disguise, and violence was the only language they knew. From the first moment he laid eyes on the soldiers that had taken over their town he knew this to be their breed. That no amount of talking would solve any problems, that only blood would bring change. That it was all or nothing for these beasts in bulletproof vests. Complete control or death.

It wasn’t hard to see what was happening. Factories that once produced every day items soon became metal shops fabricating parts for larger machines. The Men in Black Tactical Gear were planning something, gathering resources to spread their reign. Citizens were starving, anyone able bodied working until past exhaustion unless you were part of the lucky few who had jobs higher up like most of The Seven. This incivility is what drove Changkyun to the breaking point, what ignited the fire that boiled his blood and finally gave his life a purpose other than to smile and wave in a suit next to his politician parents.

Changyun wasn’t the one to bring it up first, but he remembered vividly how emboldened he felt when Jooheon had mentioned his plans for The Seven. For? With? Changkyun couldn’t remember Jooheon’s speech exactly but he remembered how perfectly The Seven snapped into their respective roles. 

“Hey,” Jooheon stood in the doorway to his bedroom, leaning against the frame nonchalantly. Changkyun jumped at the sudden sound, being too lost in his thoughts to hear him approach. 

“Jooheon,” he gasped, “You coming with me to the meeting?” 

“Nah, I just came to give you something.” Jooheon tossed a small box at him and grinned showing off his dimples. Changkyun flipped open the top and saw a small box of matches and a glass vial of blue liquid. 

“What’s this?” Changkyun observed the bottle closely tipping its contents back and forth against the ceiling lights. 

“Drink it if you have to and matches are always useful.”

“But what is it?”

“Just trust me.” Jooheon said, exasperated. And like that, all of Changkyun’s doubts were gone. He put the items back into their box and placed them carefully into his bag. When he looked up to ask if Jooheon wanted to tag along with him to the meeting, he was already gone. Heading for the door he made sure a white balaclava was tucked securely into one of the smaller pockets. The son of one of the most wealthy and influential people in the city, or even the country, was best not caught smuggling arms or siphoning gasoline. One more hour until the meeting.


	7. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jooheon's perspective pre-All In

It was almost time. One more week until the raid, one more hour until the meeting, it was all coming together. This time it would work, this time the virus would not spread and he would make sure of that. Last time he was unprepared, weak, arrogant, he didn’t know what he was up against, he was foolish in thinking he alone could take down The Men in Black Tactical Gear. His body had been left behind, bloody and broken, it was always difficult coming back from that and he never wanted to have to do it again. This time he knew better and he had a better plan. 

From the start Jooheon had seen the potential of The Seven; each one brought their own skills and talents to the team. They were so young, so aggressive, and eager to prove their own individual worth while still determined to stay together to fight as a single unit. They had seemed so dispensable in the beginning; simple minded beings with thoughts of glory on a battlefield and blind to the horrors of true war, this wasn’t a backyard game and he wasn’t sure if they realized the true consequences of their actions, it was perfect. But when it came down to it, it was easy, almost too easy, to fit them together at his side, a strong energy forming between all of them. Red strings through time and space. This... this made him uneasy. He was getting attached and suddenly they weren’t so easy to see as objects anymore. 

They were such an interesting thing, so easy to rally up to fight for his cause even if they didn’t know exactly what the enemy was. They cared so much about each other and the people around them, even people on the other side of the world they had never met before. They felt for those less fortunate than them and saw the injustices around them as some sort of physical enemy to throw their fists at but their enemy was so much more than that. The Men in Tactical gear were far from human, they were demons in humanoid form, poisoning everything they touched, turning landscapes to ash, prosperous cities to desolate war torn reminders of days long past. He wouldn’t happen to anyone else.

Jooheon plucked a blue flower from the endless bushes in this abandoned greenhouse he had found just a couple miles out of town. It was out of sight of the guard towers and proved to be the perfect place to cultivate his crop and hide out when he wasn’t with The Seven. He placed the blossom into a large glass beaker with dozens of others just like it, this plant was very special to Jooheon; it was a promise, life, potential, and a reminder of a home that once was all in one. It was a miracle he had been able to grow it so far from home, that he had managed to save the last of its kind just as it had saved him. But now where it flourished he was still alone.

He went to the center of his garden where a small but crowded work table stood, covered in beakers, jars, books, dried plants, and various other odd instruments. He poured a solution over the flowers placing the beaker into place on a small makeshift distiller carefully balanced on a pile of books. He had done this process dozens of times but his eyes still carefully checked and double checked each stage, anything wrong could prove disastrous. 

The distiller soon started to drip a blue liquid into another large beaker at the end, it was a tedious process making the elixir but for what was to take place in the weeks to come it was essential. You never knew what kind of trouble you could get into in times like these and you never knew if you’d have to make your way back from the dead once again. Souls and the afterlife were a tricky thing and Jooheon only had so many hands.

It was almost time for the meeting, Jooheon turned the flame down lower and let the liquid continue to drip. It was going to be a few hours before it was finished and he couldn’t afford to wait any longer. He straightened himself, dusted the dirt from his clothes and in the blink of an eye was gone from the greenhouse and standing near the meeting place, just outside the other’s view.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so bad at updating omg


	8. Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Overview perspective, All In

They had been arguing about an exit strategy for over twenty minutes when there was a heavy, dull knock at the door. Their voices, whispered aggressively through gritted teeth, stopped immediately as they exchanged horrified glances. No one was supposed to know of this place, this meeting. This building was in an empty part of town, they had staggered their arrivals, they had kept an eye out for people following them, even the rest of their followers didn’t know of this place. And yet...

 

“Police, open up,” a voice boomed. No, not now. The door handle rattled violently. They were so close and now it would all be lost; they would lose everything if they were caught. But they had prepared for this.

 

Shaking hands quickly scrambled for the various miss matched utility cans sitting around the space, they spilled their volatile contents over everything: blueprints, models, papers, tables, chairs, whatever could be reached. The Seven worked silently as the knock came again, louder and more aggressive this time. They all backed into a corner, leaving through a hole, covered by a sheet of metal, in the wall that led to a back alleyway that was blocked off from the street. Just as the last of them exited they heard the front door slam open, heavy footsteps running inside quickly as shouts overlapped each other.

 

It was Minhyuk who flicked the match and set their trail ablaze. A second was all it took for the warehouse burst into flames, the trail of gasoline, alcohol, and lighter fluids quickly igniting and consuming everything within its path. It was amazing how easily they could destroy everything in an instant. Their months of hard work and risk gone in mere fractions of a second. The Men in Black Tactical Gear that had entered quickly started running for the exit, coughing and sputtering as the thick black clouds of smoke filled the air and the flames crept up their legs. Minhyuk quickly caught up and followed the others through tight spaces and alleyways. It was a long and slow journey out of the city limits. Each of the boys helped Kihyun in turn as they kept a look out for more soldiers. None of them spoke but they could feel the despair start to settle in over them like a dark cloud. It seemed as if it were all over before it even began.

 

When they made it to Jooheon’s greenhouse they were exhausted, their spirits dampened and their limbs sore from climbing over and through the more ruined and abandoned buildings that lined the city limits. Their eyes scanned every inch of their leader’s lair as they entered. They had never stepped outside the city since the take over; no one dared since the perimeter of the city was so heavily guarded and travel was prohibited. The path they had taken would have been easily discovered if traveled frequently and none of them had wanted to risk it. Even reaching the green house without a hitch this one time was a stroke of unbelievable luck.

 

The greenhouse was beautiful; rows upon rows of the same beautiful blue flowers that were so vibrant in color they almost glowed in the dull light filtering through the filthy skylights. It, and the relief of their escape, started to lift their mood a little. Near what they assumed was once the entrance was a large fire pit surrounded by mismatched lawn chairs, Jooheon’s workbench in the middle of the rows of flowers like a stage, and in the very back was some old, rather ragged looking, furniture. The Seven walked around timidly as Jooheon headed straight for his workbench.

 

“Jooheon, what’s with the flowers and…” Changkyun called gesturing to the distiller and various things spread over the workbench. Jooheon looked up from the beaker he was inspecting, the glass was almost three quarters full of blue liquid. He turned off the flame of his distiller and started rummaging in a box under the table, pulling out small bottles and bowls. He placed them all in a small crate with a few other things and brought them over to the others, most of whom lingered around the firepit.

 

“Wonho, start a fire would you? There’s a pile of wood over there,” Jooheon pointed behind him. Wonho nodded walking off to do as he was told. The others started to gather around the fire pit, collapsing into the various chairs. Kihyun winced as Shownu helped him into the one with the least amount of wear and sat next to him. Minhyuk and Hyungwon sat together, pulling up close to the pit. Changkyun sat a bit away from them and pulled out a chair for Wonho for when he was finished and Jooheon set his crate down into another chair, claiming it as his own.

 

“These flowers are essential to our plan.” Jooheon started to pour the blue liquid into the bottles.

 

“What plan? Everything is gone, we had to burn it, it’s over!” Kihyun's voice was a bitter and strained. “They’re going to find out everything, our families, our lives they’re.. it’s.... it’s all over Jooheon.” There was the start of tears in his eyes but he quickly blinked them away. He had been letting the worst case scenarios run through his head over and over again as they walked out of the city. What if they were shot right there? What if their families got in trouble? What if someone had told the police everything? Kihyun was saying what all of them were thinking and they all couldn’t help but stare at their leader. What else could they do? Jooheon frowned but kept his eyes glued to what he was doing in a way that made it obvious he was avoiding eye contact with all of them.

 

What they had done, setting fire to the abandoned building, was bound to tip the first domino; Jooheon knew this. The Men in Black Tactical Gear now knew there was a resistance forming and there would be no going back to their secret double lives now. Their absences would be noticed, their families taken for questioning, their homes ransacked for evidence. Not everything could be burned or hidden and now they would be known. Bodies would be burned to serve as their doubles, the newspaper crying out the failure of a group of kids trying to upset the new order of things. Stupid, silly, kids. Spoiled brats that didn’t know what was best for them, best for their community. The rest of the fighters they had managed to convince would be taken or, if they were lucky to have not been found out, would give up. History repeats itself over and over again. 

 

“We can still make it work. Not in the same way but we can still do this.” Jooheon clenched his jaw. Wonho finished starting the fire, the heat spreading comfort and warmth through their bodies.

 

“Oh, and I suppose these flowers are going magically make us invincible, give us super powers, and solve everything?” Kihyun scoffed. The others shifted uncomfortably, their feelings mixed. Kihyun had a point. Anxiety twisted in all of their stomachs uncomfortably. They wanted to fight this, they wanted to win but dying a martyr in a suicide mission wasn’t the most appealing prospect. Jooheon started walking around the circle of them, his face cast odd and shifting in the flickering fire light. He handed each of them a small vial of the blue liquid.

 

“I’ve already gave Shownu and Changkyun a bottle of the essence and now you’ll all have to carry a bottle of it as well. These flowers can keep you alive for a limited amount of time, even if you’re gravely injured.” Jooheon paused for a moment as he spoke the last statement. He wasn’t sure if he should talk about the connection it brought when drank together. Maybe it was better left unsaid, some of them might not be so willing to come back. “It won’t really give you super powers but it’ll give you a chance even if mistakes are made.” Minhyuk and Hyungwon cast worried glances at each other. 

 

“What if we get our head cut off” Minhyuk smirked trying to lighten the situation.

 

“No one is getting their head cut off. But there’s a process, we have to be exact and you have to take this seriously for it to work.” 

 

“But how does it work? If it works.This all seems a bit…” Changkyun waved his hand in front of him, trying to conjure up the word, “Witchcraft-y?”

 

“Don’t worry about it. And either way it couldn’t hurt right?” Jooheon smirked.

 

“It could actually be poisonous,” Shownu had taken his own bottle out and looked closely at the liquid, turning the bottle over in his hands.

 

“I’ve tested it. It’s not, don’t worry about it, I know what I’m doing.” Jooheon looked at all of them sternly and suddenly there were no more questions. The Seven had never thought about it but Jooheon definitely had a way of persuading people. None of them had thought this resistance was a small thing or that it was some sort of game before but now, looking at the small life saving liquid in their hands, it felt much bigger than before. 

 

“First,” Jooheon cleared his throat, the others snapped out of a daze they didn’t realize they had fallen into, maybe they were all just tired. Jooheon picked up a handful of dried twigs and leaves from the crate as he made his way back to the start of his circle. “We have to burn some of the dried parts of the plant, not the flowers but the rest. I have to warn you though, you’ll start to see… things and they aren’t always pleasant.” Jooheon frowned at this slightly. This was a big step and one he was only half sure about. 

“So you’re getting us high,” Hyungwon quirked an eyebrow. Jooheon rolled his eyes in response and pointedly threw the dried plant matter into the fire. They started to smoke immediately, the clouds slowly starting to surround them in a dreamy blue purple haze. It smelled sweet and dangerous like lavender and gunpowder.

 

The Seven coughed slightly as the smoke filled their lungs; it wasn’t hard to breathe in but it was much different than the clear air that had surrounded them just moments before. The air around them began to vibrate, each of them looking around at each other felt like seeing echoes of their friends or specters not the reality of them. Their heads felt light and airy, all pain and fatigue forgotten, their limbs feeling loose and light. 

 

Jooheon went to the silver bowl and took the first sip before he began to pass it around. Each of them took a sip; the liquid tasted warm and sweet like honey and wine. The fire crackled and sparked and when they all finally looked up at Jooheon as the bowl made its way back to him they started a bit at the sight.

 

His ears were completely black with ash, his face smeared too with the black substance and something else. Was that blood? They looked again. No, no it was all paint. He had smeared paint onto his own face and started to do so to the others, their brains fogged and their eyes wide, pupils blown, bodies complacent as he stopped in front of each of them tracing lines and symbols onto their faces. The paint was made from parts of the plant and the thick pastes felt warm on their faces. 

 

He smiled slightly to himself as he watched them finally adjust and start to laugh and talk together. Hyungwon and Minhyuk sat close together, Minhyuk’s head on Hyungwon’s shoulder, their fingers intertwined. Wonho made jokes about nothing in particular and Shownu laughed for the first time in what felt like years. Kihyun felt free from his anxiety and talked animatedly with Changkyun about plans, past and future and dreams of glory. Jooheon, looking at all of them paused for a moment, this would be the last time, for a long time, that they could sit around and feel so at ease. He was glad he could give them this at least. Nothing would be the same after this night. 

 

Jooheon began to mark each of them with an ‘X’, a symbol of binding and family. Yes, family. He started to a familiar guilt rise in his stomach; he should tell them what this all entailed but he couldn’t, he wouldn’t because if they refused it would mean the end. He was too attached, this was dangerous. He didn’t know if he could go through another loss but if he let them go now, it would mean losing everything anyway. This world, his new found family, his clan, 

his clan, 

his clan. 

He shook his head sighing as he pulled himself out of memories and back into the moment as he noticed Wonho staring at him curiously, his hand still held in his where he had been slowly tracing the last symbol. 

“What is this?” Wonho asked looking at the X on his hand. Jooheon let him go and stood up. 

“I decided this would be a group symbol. Sweet and simple right?” Jooheon forced a smile.

“I feel like a gang member or a mafia family,” Minhyuk laughed. They all looked at their own symbols, each one was slightly different in design but still clearly an X. 

“Mafia don’t get matching tattoos,” Kihyun teased, “The X family? That sounds stupid.” 

“Are we trying to pick a name now too?” Shownu said.

“What about the X-Clan? That sounds cooler,” Changkyun offered.

“The X-Clan?” Kihyun nodded, they all were in agreement it sounded about right. Jooheon squinted a bit at all of them. There was a strange feeling of deja vu creeping along the back of his mind. He hadn’t done this before had he? He wasn’t sure. Things got mixed up and echoed back and confused when you lived multiple lifetimes. Time, for him at least, was a scribble, not a straight line. 

“We, the X-Clan, protector of this city, this region, this world.” Wonho was smirking. “We sound like a group of super heroes.” 

“Well, if we play our cards right, we might just be.”

**Author's Note:**

> Its been 3 years since I've wrote anything other than work emails so feedback is greatly appreciated!


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